Categories

Search Archives

Bucs To Be “Top-Five In Pass Defense”

June 18th, 2013

Killing time and creating content during the current dead period for the NFL until training camps open, NFL Network has begun a weekday series “32 for 32,” a preview of each NFL team in just over five weeks until teams begin the drudgery of training camp late in July.

Monday was the Bucs’ turn, and Joe will highlight elements today and tomorrow.

Analysts LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sharper broke down the Bucs with host Andrew Siciliano. It was noted by Siciliano that on paper it appears the Bucs have a “far better” secondary. But the two analysts somewhat disagreed. Sharper, a former cornerback himself, was skeptical.

Darren Sharper: They can only go up. But it will be the health of Darrelle Revis as he is the answer as to determine how good this defense can be. But it will be guys like Johnthan Banks and Eric Wright, playing second and third corner, to slow down those receivers. They have to go against guys in a division with Drew Brees and Matt Ryan who can air it out.

LaDainian Tomlinson: Look, they went from having no Pro Bowlers to two [Dashon Goldson and Revis]. But I like Mark Barron, too. I think he can be a future Pro Bowler. So I am going to go out on a limb and say this secondary will be top-five in pass defense. I know they play in a tough division but I think this will be a strength for their team.

In case none of Joe’s readers picked up on Tomlinson’s musings, how quickly he forgot Ronde Barber, eh?

Believe it or not, Joe sides with both Tomlinson and Sharper. The key to how great this secondary can be is Revis. If he returns to form from a ACL knee surgery, there is no reason to believe the Bucs cannot have the best secondary in the NFL.

But Tomlinson is also correct. The Bucs, as criminally awful as the pass defense was last year, could have three Pro Bowlers if Barron has a solid season. Barring an epidemic of injuries, there is no way the Bucs should repeat last year’s horror show with the talent on the roster, even if Matty Ice and Brees are slinging footballs against the Bucs over four games.

I’m more concerned about how this staff plays the WR opposite of Revis, because when he eventually reaches 100%, the CB on the opposite of Revis will be getting a TON of attention and honestly until I see Wright, Banks, or maybe even LennyJ hold up against an potential increase in targets I wont rest easy because we look good on paper.

Also, I think there’s way too many moving parts in a secondary to say it’s success hinges on Revis’ ACL alone, as we have a new DB coach(from nowhere near Les Miles’ area code) with more than enough NFL experience, and a group of young battle tested CBs, some with untapped talent and our secondary comp wide open outside of Revis. This upcoming training camp has more promise than any I could remember in recent times.

That list doesn’t say much. We had to face Julio Jones, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez twice last year with last years secondary and nearly beat them twice. We were in every game except New Orleans last year and all we need is this new secondary to help the scoring defense just a little and we’ll be in the playoffs. I look at it more like they have to face Revis, Goldson, Barron and Banks and deal with the pass rush of McCoy, Clayborn and Bowers. We already know we can shut down the run. If we can make teams one dimensional we should have good success. That’s what happened with the Packers. On the other hand, the Ravens had a nice balanced attack and won it all with far from the leagues best QB.

@buc n junkie,
When you take Revis and cancel out the #1 receiver on each of those teams then double the #2 receiver, that list doesnt look so intimidating at all. Ill take my chances with Barron or our LBs vs those TEs, not saying those TEs will get shut down but we’ll win some of those battles too. I say top five in pass d.

@SteveBucsFan…no he’s not the worst…that would be Buc_Realist but certainly he is making a name for himself. I guess we’ll have to wait until training camp starts to find out just how bad he really is. ;>)

Don’t you just love it when these TV guys merely state the obvious? What was that new word? “Duhmazing”. The other day I heard the former Saints player on NFL Network (forgot his name) claim the Bucs will be a tired football team later in the season because their “college coach” has a college mentality to overwork them. Gee, I never heard that said about any the other college coaches who joined the NFL this past off season. Here’s why the Bucs were singled out. Because Roy Cummings made a comment that the media just echoes without any real knowledge.